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Andy Burnham and Dr Tiz North
Concern: Dr Tiz North, right, claims government plans will leave trusts bankrupt. The BMA is now on collision course with Health Secretary Andy Burnham, left

Doctors plot revolt over downgrading of hospitals

Anna Davis, Education Correspondent
12 Jun 2009


Doctors across the capital are rebelling over plans to downgrade scores of hospitals.

Members of the British Medical Association will officially reject the proposals at its annual meeting this month, putting doctors on a collision course with new Health Secretary Andy Burnham.

Doctors claim the plans will put patients at risk and leave trusts bankrupt.

Under the scheme, more patients would be sent to specialist centres, bypassing district general hospitals, which would be downgraded to "local hospitals".

These local hospitals may have their intensive care units and emergency surgery services cut.

The doctors argue patients will spend longer in ambulances transferring between hospitals and medics at smaller hospitals will lose skills because they will not see so many serious cases.

Dr Kevin O'Kane, chairman of the BMA's London Regional Council, said the changes will "tear the heart out" of district general hospitals.

He added: "We are talking about change for the sake of change. At the moment patients know exactly what a hospital is, and what they expect from it."

Dr Tiz North, consultant radiologist at St Helier Hospital, near Carshalton, said: "If these plans come into effect, where a smaller hospital is near a bigger one, the bigger one will take over."

She said the situation had already arisen at Epsom General Hospital, which had now effectively been turned into a "local hospital".

"Emergency surgery has already been transferred to St Helier. When you move one speciality out of a hospital there is a domino effect on other services," she added.

A Healthcare for London report setting out the proposals admits hospitals could lose 15 per cent of their income because many patients will bypass their nearest hospital.

The changes are part of a major NHS reorganisation in the capital, which has seen polyclinics set up. Specialist centres for people suffering from major trauma or stroke are also planned.

The BMA said these specialist centres will only benefit three per cent of patients, and the rest still need a fully functioning district general.

The BMA is set to reject the plans on 29 June at its annual conference in Liverpool.

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